Published: Mar 16, 2015, 04:15 PM (IST)
Edited: Mar 16, 2015, 05:41 PM (IST)
Bangladesh made it through to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 quarterfinal thanks to their thrilling victory over England. They face neighbours India in the crunch game, who are favourites to win the contest. Having said that, India have to be wary of Bangladesh’s strengths going into the game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, writes Nishad Pai Vaidya.
You have to visit Bangladesh to get a sense of the craze for cricket. During the last year’s ICC World T20 2014, the country soaked in the excitement — everyone on the streets was talking about cricket. What may have surprised visitors was that, the craze and mania was not about Bangladesh cricket alone, but even for neutral games, there used to be a sizeable crowd. Given the craze for cricket in the country, one always wondered why their team often struggled to get it right at the highest level. A year down the line, the Bangladesh team have lived up to their passionate fans’ expectations and made it through to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 quarter-final. ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: POINTS TABLE
Up against them in the quarter-final are their neighbours India. And, there is some history going into this game. Although India won the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 at home, beating Bangladesh in their first game, memories of the defeat in 2007 still linger. It isn’t that they have a huge bearing but serve as a caution to the Indian team about what the Bangladesh team is capable of. Then, there was that Asia Cup game of 2012, where Bangladesh spoilt Sachin Tendulkar’s party and won the game. When compared to those sides, this Bangladesh team looks a lot more dangerous. ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: SCHEDULE & MATCH DETAILS
India will have to be wary of Bangladesh heading into the quarter-final. At the outset, one would say that they are favourites, but Bangladesh are proven giant-killers and have made rapid strides in this tournament. They beat England and then ran the in-form New Zealand quite close in their last game. If you watched them train, they you’d realise that there is a lot of optimism in the Bangladesh camp. The victories have injected confidence in this unit, which is ready to show its talent on the world stage. While the individual strengths of their players was never in doubt, it was the unit that was oft criticised. Top 10 batsmen in ICC Cricket World Cup 2015
Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mashrafe Mortaza were the heroes of the 2007 triumph and would be hoping for an encore this time around. While Mashrafe’s injuries have hampered his progress at the highest level, the other three have grown into international stars. Shakib is undoubtedly one of the best all-rounders in the world and embodies his team’s spirit. Mushfiqur has become a reliable batsman in the middle and is a dependable stumper. Tamim is enigmatic but is a genuine match-winner when he deliveries. Then there are others such as Mahmudullah, Taskin Ahmed etc. who have risen to the occasion and showcased their talent. ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: Complete Coverage
Playing in front of a huge crowd at the MCG would be an experience for this Bangladesh team. The Indian and Bangladeshi fans, who live in the city, will come out in numbers for this encounter — backing their respective sides to come good in the tournament. India seem to have moved into a zone where they are in control of most departments; skipper MS Dhoni also seems to have a grip of all proceedings. Bangladesh have a tough task ahead, but they are up for the challenge. READ: Bangladesh, you earned it
(Nishad Pai Vaidya is a Correspondent with CricketCountry and anchor for the site’s YouTube Channel. His Twitter handle is @nishad_45)
